The Effectiveness of The Neurophysiotherapy Program In Combination With The Fun Fitness Program On The Physical Fitness and Alpine Skiing Skills of Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract: Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a group of developmental neurological disorders that have posed a global public health problem in recent years as the number of diagnosed children rises sharply. As a result, modern society faces the challenge of bringing a vulnerable group of young people with ASD closer to an active lifestyle and including them in a physiotherapy program, thereby influencing the improvement of their physical fitness and the improvement of alpine skiing skills. Methods: The research used the mixed methods research paradigms and investigated the short-term effectiveness of a 12-month neurophysiotherapy program combined with the Fun Fitness physiotherapy program and a therapeutic approach to learning alpine skiing on individual components of fitness (flexibility, muscle strength and endurance, balance, aerobic fitness, body composition) and the consequent improvement of the alpine skiing skills of the adolescent with ASD. Results: On the basis of the analysis of the results, we find an improvement in the results of all components of physical fitness, including body composition, as well as the skills of alpine skiing. Conclusions: With the help of mixed methods we develop a more condensed understanding of the effectiveness of the mentioned physiotherapy program and a broader insight into the personal experiences of adolescent with ASD as his physiotherapist with special knowledge in the field of neurophysiotherapy, sports physiotherapy regarding the effectiveness of the program.